Thomas Robinson named Big 12 player of the year; Self earns Big 12’s co-coach of the year honors

Kansas forward Thomas Robinson is hugged by head coach Bill Self as he is recognized before the fieldhouse during the senior speeches.

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Kansas University junior and national player of the year candidate, Thomas Robinson, was named the Big 12 Conference player of the year by the league’s coaches on Sunday afternoon.

Robinson, who finished the season averaging 18 points and 12 rebounds per game, was by far the most dominant player in the league throughout the season.

During Big 12 play alone, he averaged those same numbers (18.2/11.7) and earned Big 12 player of the week honors multiple times.

“Usually when individuals receive awards at the end of the season it has been because their teams have been good and that certainly has the case with us,” KU coach Bill Self said. “Thomas has been the best player on our team, without question, from the beginning of the year until now. He is so deserving of conference player of the year. That was a goal I had for him before the season even started.”

Robinson also added 56 assists, 34 steals and 33 blocks to his totals this season. His 22 double-doubles this season were by far the most in the Big 12 and moved him into second place on KU's all-time single season list.

“I am very thankful for this award and proud to be selected by the coaches in a league that is as competitive as it is,” Robinson said. “We have a lot of great players on our team and Tyshawn (Taylor) would also be deserving of this award. I am thankful for this award and hope it’s not the last.”

His 369 rebounds this season put him in seventh place all-time on KU's single season rebounding list (one spot ahead of Wilt Chamberlain) and his 669 career rebounds put him in 18th place all-time, one spot ahead of Markieff Morris.

Robinson also was named to the all-Big 12 first team, where he was joined by senior teammate Tyshawn Taylor, who averaged 17 points and 5 assists for the Jayhawks this season, but saw his points-per-game total increase to 18.6 during the Big 12 portion of the schedule.

Robinson and Taylor were joined on the first-team by Texas guard J'Covan Brown, Iowa State forward Royce White and Missouri guard Marcus Demon.

“Tyshawn, in my opinion, was the one of two guys who could have challenged Thomas for conference player of the year, along with (Marcus) Denmon (Missouri),” Self said. “Tyshawn has been as good as guard in the country over the last two months and certainly so deserving of being picked first team.”

KU coach Bill Self named Big 12's Co-Coach of the Year

Kansas University coach Bill Self has been named the co-Big 12 coach of the year, along with Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg. Self led the Jayhawks to an unprecedented eighth straight Big 12 title with a 16-2 overall league record.

Self is named top coach for the third time in the last four seasons and fourth time overall.

“Fred (Hoiberg) (Iowa State) and Frank Haith (Missouri) are also deserving of this award,” Self said. “It’s a proud recognition but I also understand it’s not the coaching, it’s the players that give you the chance to win. Basketball is about players, and certainly we have our share of good ones and I’m sure Fred would say the same thing.”

Self's latest honor came despite losing the Morris twins, Brady Morningstar and Tyrel Reed from last year's team. When the season began, the squad's lone returning starter, Tyshawn Taylor, had played more minutes than all of the other four starters combined.

The Jayhawks finished the regular season 26-5 and their only league losses were to Missouri and Hoiberg's Cyclones, both on the road.

Withey named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year

Kansas University junior Jeff Withey, a 7-foot center from San Diego, has been named the Big 12's defensive player of the year, the league announced via Twitter on Sunday afternoon.

Withey led the Big 12 in blocked shots with 100, a total that ranked fifth on the conference single-season chart. Sixty-five of those rejections came in league games, setting a Big 12 record for conference play. Withey is the fourth Jayhawk to win the top defensive honor since it began in 2005-06, including three times in the past four seasons.

“I’m really happy for Jeff because I don’t believe anybody in our league changes the game by blocking or altering (shots) better than Jeff,” Self said.

Withey also averaged 9.2 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in 24 minutes per contest. He also earned Big 12 player of the week honors earlier this season and has become a huge force for the Jayhawks in the middle on both ends of the floor.

Let's be honest..If Mizzou wasn't bolting to the SEC then it could easily be a three way tie.
Anderson did MU a favor.
Frank Haith has done a great job and I won't be surprised to play them one more time.

Canehawk - As much as I dislike MU, I'd have to say Big12 basketball top to bottom is head and shoulders above the SEC. Once you get passed Kentucky, who else do they have?

Arkansas, Florida, and Tennessee - All three of these teams have dropped off in the last four to five years. Florida had a nice run a few years ago, Tennessee once they lost Pearl and are now on probation will be dead for at least two more seasons. As far as Arkansas, well the best thing they have going for them is "Kansas" is in their name. None of these three teams would be more than a .500 program in the Big12.

I'd be surprised if the other 8 teams in the SEC make it to the big dance. So, I think MU will compete in the top two to three every year in the SEC. MU knew they were going to the SEC when they hired Heath. He's a Florida guy, with Florida high school connections. MU will still try and recruit KC and STL; which they have had some success (except when KU wants a guy).

If your point is will MU win a league championship in the SEC, probably not, but they haven't won in the Big12 since 1994. Instead of competing with KU, Kst, TX, they now just have to compete with Kentucky.

Tennessee is far from dead. They ended up second in the SEC this year... they snagged coach Cuonzo Martin from Missouri State (and the from the Purdue team with Big Dog Glenn Robinson that beat KU in '95) who has molded that team into a decent unit with some scrappy players. They'll be better coached than mizzou as long as he's there.

Withey prediction? Same ones who proclaimed KU would trounce their competition and win their 8th str8 Big 12 championship this season. (ie. Not too many, if anyone.) Cole Aldrich was the one, a couple of seasons ago, who predicted Withey would surprise everyone with his blocking abilities, once he became a starter.

News flash: Dukie Vitale has been attempting to instruct Booby Knight on how to express extreme emotions during broadcasts. D. V. is frustrated, because Knight still hasn't passed first grade. Meanwhile, Knight keeps informing D.V. to control his superfluous tirades on the ACC, and to pay more attention to the actual game on which he is supposed to be commentating. There has got to be a happy medium between these two.

To reiterate your Withey proclamation. "Mr. Withey, you have been amazing!"

I did not predict we would trounce the competition but I did predict that we would win the Big XII. After the grousing made from the loss to VCU I pointed out that a coach who wins seven consecutive championships in his league is pure gold. Now eight has upped the ante. Every done before? Apparently not.

I will go on record to predict KU wins the 9th consecutive Big XII championship in men's basketball next year.

I didn't predict it before the season, but I predicted it before the Big 12 conference play started. I'm actually a little stunned that Withey didn't make second team all Big 12. I think he deserved second team honors

Speaking of which: How did ISU wind up with the #3 seed and Baylor with the #4? Not saying those seeds aren't deserved, but they have the same B12 record and split their head-to-head games. And Baylor has the better overall record, so... Just curious as to how this is determined.

Michael Dixon, Missouri is the sixth player (not a starter) of the year, and also on the All-Defensive team.
Call me old fashioned but shouldn't you start for your team to be in an "All-Conference" team?
On the same vein, what happened to needing a winning conference record and at least 20 wins to qualify for the big dance?
I guess they change the requirements so they can have 10 Big East teams in the tournament...

Kinda irritates me that they picked McGruder and/or Dixon over EJ or TRel on the defensive team... Maybe it's just me, but my one memory of McGruder's "defense" involves Tyshawn blowing by him for multiple layups.

Anyone else delight in the fact Misery didn't take any awards of "import"?! :) I mean "Newcomer of the Year".....big deal! KU has taken -- or should I say EARNED -- all of the meaningful awards: COY, POY & DPOY.

Great day to be a proud Jayhawk!! This has to be one of my favourite teams.... What a group of OVER-achievers!!

absolutely stunning achievement by KU. credits to all the coaching staff & players.
what a season this has been! i'm saying this even before the season ends. i don't care whether we'll bring 2 more trophies, but our team is supposed to be a 'project' not a 'product', a 'quality product' i might say.
they beat all odds. oh, of course with some lucks - there's no injuries so far!!

I agree I think is it awesome MethU was almost shut out. Dixon should start since he comes in the first 2 minutes when Matt Pressey jacks up a bad 3 or commits 2 early fouls. I'll bet for Presseys to not transfer at season start Haith had to promise Matt would start.

I will say that Haith did a good job but all he really had to do was get away from the stupid crap Mike Anderson does. Anderson's team will never win anything. You can't press all game at this level and expect to win a championship. Players are too good plus it takes a lot of energy - which works at home but not on the road or neutral sites.

I am sure MethU will scream about being screwed by the Big 12 but who cares and who is listening to them. Plus not only the fact they are leaving but when
Drinkel voted O state what 4th or 5th in the coaches poll in football they sealed their fate for the rest of the year.

I swear to god, today Florida was letting Davis pad his final conference game stats. He scored like 6 off of free throws in the final 1.5 minutes, even though UK was winning by 15. All ESPN does is gush over Anthony Davis. When they mention the POY race, it's always "tough to go against what Davis has been able to do this year." It is such fvcking garbage, come try that sh!t in Columbia or Waco or Manhattan. UK has weeks to prepare for their "tough" matchups because there are soooo many weak teams in the SEC. In the Big 12, you are on upset alert every single game and there is always an opposing player who could blow up for 35. (Ex: J'Covan last night, are you kidding me?)

And don't even get me started on the COY race. I don't need to educate anyone on what Bill Self has done for almost a decade. Once again, Bill's down right absurd coaching performance will be down played by ESPN and the COY will go to an east coast team.

Let's not get carried away. Davis went 3-4 free throws for the game. he went 1-2 in the last minute; his previous free throws were made with 18:25 minutes left in the second half.
I believe that TRob is the POY but let's not put down Davis -he is also one heck of a player- or Kentucky; whether we like it or not, it is deservedly the top ranked team in College BBall..

Sorry, Vittorio1224. What note? Guess I didn't get it. How was it sent?

Next time you're out here, try once more.

Mahalo for the compliment.

Scholar? Well, I did get my degree, but it was in design - fine arts. And my poetic endeavors depend on the subject matter. The Jayhawks help to bring out those primal urges in me. Another example: I wrote a young lady a love poem one time, and I'm still single. So you can see how that went. :-?

+1 ... Mahalo for the reply. I'll definitely give you a shout on my next excursion to the islands which I've come to love so much. Hopefully the Jayhawks will play again in Maui in a few years..... The weather this go around was kind of crummy!

Awards are nice. sort of, but oftentimes they're like receiving a compliment from a girl you used to date. Self in a slam dunk since it was his best effort here. T-Rob, of course, but I'd give the team mvp to Tyshawn. Jeff (and I thought my sons were late bloomers), no, I'd give him most improved, but I'd give Travis defensive MVP.

I'll admit my mistake--I thought we'd lose 10-12 games. We didn't because Coach worked through no depth, little experience, and one returning starter, who had been inconsistent, at best. T-Rob developed and brought an attitude to every game, Tyshawn matured and became one of our best point guards ever, and Jeff came from out of nowhere and, after a few poundings on the chest, starting pounding himself out of pride for another stellar play. Meanwhile, Travis and Elijah went about their defensive lockdowns and did their business, mostly, looking like offensive weak links in the box score.

I think we got a break when Iowa-State beat Baylor for the third seed. They could finally take Missouri down in the semis. Drew will be worrying over zone vs. man to man even when his wife divorces him. Baylor and Texas seem to be skimming the big men from getting to Kansas, excluding "I had a dream.." Darrell'. Having read some of Randall's all-too-frequent posts, I will just comment "well. he's certainly not T-Rob." Duh.

That Freeman young man from Carolina would be a great get, and the fingers are crossed. Why more bigs don't take advantage of being coached by Danny is, to me, the biggest mystery about our team. Watching Perry Jones, I can't help but wonder, "Wow, you might actually approach your potential if you had a serious position coach like Danny showing you the ropes."

Irrespective of the Big 12 tourney and the NCAAs, I've never been prouder of a group of Jayhawks for having become much more than the sum of their parts.

2 questions for you pros:
1. When's the last time KU, KSU, and Wichita St. all made the dance? Great year!
2. Not that I really want it, but how many #1 seeds is this for Self at Kansas? Isn't this like 4 in a row? Is there a record for such a thing?

Here's hoping history repeats itself because the last time KU, KSU, and WSU all made the NCAA tournament in the same season was 1988. All 3 teams were in the Midwest region (KSU was the 4 seed, KU the 6 seed, and WSU was the 12 seed). WSU lost in the first round to DePaul and KU knocked off KSU in the Elite 8.

This would be Bill Self's 5th #1 seed in the last 6 seasons which accounts for 5 of his 6 career 1 seeds. Bill Self earned a 1 seed his first year at Illinois. 5 one seeds in 6 years is a pretty ridiculous run for any coach. I know Duke had a run of 5 straight one seeds from 1998 through 2002, and I would guess that's the most in a row but I couldn't tell you for sure.

What a rebuilding year this was! Congrats to Taylor and T-Rob! And not to mention HCBS! This is kind of random, but why don't we ever play Wichita State early on in the season? In state competition and it would be a pretty good game.

There are a variety of reasons. Some bad blood dating back to Roy's days. When the shockers landed Wichita Collegiate High School recruit Maurice Evans (who would later transfer to Texas before making his way to the NBA) Roy was bitter about it, and insinuated that there was no way WSU landed Evans on the up-and-up. This year Coach Marshall took a jab at Coach Self when Perry Ellis elected to sign with KU, saying something to the effect that he'd "never be the kind of guy to ride a motorcycle onto the court," (referencing Coach Self doing that during late night). So there is some tension there. Roy's long gone and Marshall's comments were surely made out of frustration, but it's something.

There's also logistical issues. KU won't agree to a home-and-home series with the Shockers, or even a neutral court series. Coach Self explained the reason for this years ago (in an interview with the local Wichita NBC station, back when they got the television rights to broadcast some of KU's early season match-ups). He said that KU uses the home games to fund their program and had very few home series to dole out.

Not to confuse this with Coach Self's words, as this is me expanding on his premise, but typically KU plays several mid-major to low quality programs at home, mixes in a non-con tournament (i.e. the Maui Invitational), then has a series of home-and-home obligations with other schools. KU only schedules programs from BCS conferences for these home-and-home series because, among other reasons, teams from these conferences offer the best chances to boost their RPI. It's not always the case, but mid-major programs have trouble sustaining success year in, year out. Now the Shockers have had a reasonable amount of success recently which might increase the chances of a series eventually taking place, but ask yourself: when was the last time KU played a non-BCS opponent on their home court? They played at Temple in '10 (a ranked team at the time). That is the only example of that happening since '03.

The other reason KU won't do a home-and-home series in Wichita is recruiting. This also explains the Temple series. KU makes road trips to different areas of the country to showcase their product. Temple being in Philadelphia (also was a homecoming game of sorts for the Morris Twins). KU has no need to showcase their product in Wichita. Every one of KU's games is broadcast here, and obviously KU has no trouble recruiting from this area. No need to waste a home game.

Anyway, it's been my understanding that WSU won't simply schedule a game in AFH. It is also my understanding that they've offered 2 games in AFH for one at Koch Arena, but KU still wouldn't bite (probably due to not wanting to have a 3-year obligation with WSU). I could be wrong, things might have changed. But, there's a somewhat complex attempt at at least a partial answer.

Before the three recruits were disqualified from playing, KU was voted by the conference coaches to tie for the title. Immediately after KU lost the use of the three, most everyone in the know switched their choice to just TAM, with Baylor a close second. KU was dropped to third, if they were lucky.

That created a big chip on the Jayhawk's shoulders, which may have worked to KU's advantage. What with the W/L record KU has had in recent years, and their high preseason rankings, KU may have been getting to overconfident for their own good. They had to work for respect this season.

No matter how you look at it, what with all the personnel KU lost off last year's team, this was still a down year by KU's standards. Especially since they were reduced to relying on a 1st year transfer and a former walk-on for significant minutes, and no bench to speak of.

I'd enjoy watching a game between Big 12 second and third teams. Looks like a tossup.
If Perry 3 had spent these past two league seasons working fulltime with D. Manning, he might be a brute. As is, just another flaky Bear.
If Royce White stays in Ames for his senior year, Hoiberg's Cyclones will be tough competitors next season.
If Samuels is the only Wildcat departing, Frank Martin should bring back a highly competitive squad next year.
If, if, if. Ha! If your aunt had....

Congratulations, Jayhawks one and all!!!
That was an excellent Big 12 season, you have made all of us very proud.

I'm going to have to against the grain here in that I suspected that this team could be V E R Y good from the beginning. I just liked the mixture of one outstanding big in TRob, a rocket-powered point guard on TT, a cast of extras that don't look like much at first glance and then everyone saying they might not even win the Big 12... (Place Chip on Shoulder and Proceed!) Ooooh yeah!!

I like it a lot better when we aren't so heavily loaded, because when we are, a Final Four is expected, and anything less is a failure.
The pressure must be unreal, and they feel it and it gets in their heads.

Way back last year, they played with a very god UK team, and kept it close right up to the end. That told me that this team was going to be really special, even though we are short-handed relative to most KU teams of the last 20 years or so.

Great jobs by all, and thanks from all of us in Jayhawk World!! Take care of all those aches and sprains, try to get a bit of healing in this week, and have lots of fun for all of us!!!

I'm shocked to see no players from Nebraska or Colorado on any of the Big12 end of the season teams! What, they left the league? When did that happen? I really didn't miss them at all. So, they must have had players or coaches recognized in the Big10 and/or Pac12, right? Otherwise, they're not any better off than had they stayed with us. I guss we'll be saying the same thing for Mizz and aTm next year. Little fishes, big pond!

I agree, Coach Self should have coach of the year by himself, he has taken a team with only 1 starter and made them into champions. Coaching the team to believe they can do it is awesome. What a team!!! What a team of coaches, we've got the best in the country. I've had the privilage to get to many senior nights and it's always so emotional--the love the team has for the coaches and the fans is so special. The boy's speeches were touching. Dang it's hard to see these guys go. I can't imagine not seeing Tyshawn and Thomas in Allen Field house, I admire Junniman and Teahann so much for sticking with us and giving the team all they had. Unless you have an athlete in your family, you don't know what these students give everyday. Thanks guys so much for being a Jayhawk for 4 years and Thomas thanks for this last year and what's to come. I know this isn't the end, we have March madness to look forward to with you guys and the team, it's so exciting. Again, thanks to the coaches and the team for a special year!!!!

In reference to Robinson:
"and his 669 career rebounds put him in 18th place all-time, one spot ahead of Markieff Morris."

If you think about it, had Robinson played more his freshman and sophomore years, he would more then likely be in the top 5-10 in school records for rebounding in a career. He had more 69 more rebounds this year then he had in his freshman and sophomore campaigns combine. Had he been one that started his freshman year, I think he could have been at the top.

Something that amazes me is the disrespect that Iowa State is getting! They still can't break the Top 25! You would think that 3rd place in the Big 12 is good enough to be ranked in the Top 25.......................considering the 4th place team is ranked 11th!

To me this is the hardest goal each year - to win the conference regular season. The league schedule proves out who has the best team. In the tournaments any team can get hot and beat a superior team. Every year when fans grouse about losing in the NCAA tournament we want to remind them that this coach is really special.

So thanks coaches and players alike for keeping the streak alive. Next year FTW=9.

And congratulations to Thomas, Tyshawn, Jeff and coach for individual awards. Now if Elijah will only feel slighted and bump his tournament play up a notch!